Walls painted a bright yellow-green provide a contrast and give off a contemporary vibe in this sitting room.

When Betsy Hoke ambles through her home, she sees touches of green in almost every room.

It might be a subtle green influence in a piece of artwork, a potted plant or a patterned throw pillow. Or it can be a focal point in a pair of green chairs in a room where turquoise dominates.

"Green is a versatile color that comes in so many shades," says Hoke, an interior designer whose firm, Sturgeon Interiors, is based in Whitefish Bay. "And it can be a refreshing change."

After many years in which muted neutrals have been the norm — from tan to taupe to today's gray palette — green is on the horizon. Adding a spot of green here and there is part of the trend toward a return to color in general in home décor and is especially appropriate at this time of year when nature takes a colorful turn and the lines blur between indoor and outdoor living.

"Green is a very special color because it can play so many roles in a room," says Andrea Magno, color and design expert for Benjamin Moore Paints. "It can easily be the main event as a feature color, or it can be a key part of the background. It can be bold or it can be soft, with myriad options in between that can suit so many decorative styles."

Design trends often begin in Europe and make their way across the Atlantic. Perhaps as a precursor to what we can expect going forward, green was a big part of Milan Design Week in April. Officially called Milano Salone, it is the

largest trade fair of its kind in the world, showcasing the newest looks in furniture and design.

"Green was a key color at Milan," says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. "I saw many showrooms with a deep, dark and moody teal. Not quite emerald, it had blue undertones and was stunning. It created a rich, balanced look with all the browns and dark woods. I also noticed a mid-tone evergreen that was featured in many of the nature-inspired furniture showrooms.

"Overall," she said, "I think green is a key color to watch in the home over the next couple of seasons."

Green already seems to have arrived in New York. At the annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House, which is going on through June 9 at a Manhattan townhouse, some of the East Coast's most forward-thinking designers have used green in a variety of ways. It could be seen in an uber-luxurious salon in deep emerald and gold, in a sophisticated bathroom with deep gray-green lacquered walls and on an airy staircase landing with floral wallpaper in blues and burnt orange on a medium green background.

The outdoor terraces of the show house were showstoppers, with green boxwoods serving as the only color in the black and white scheme.

In many ways green is an appropriate color for today's lifestyle.

"Health and wellness are among the top drivers of interior design trends in 2016, so it makes sense that green colorways, which bring life into a room, would play a leading role," says Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the Home Furnishing Alliance, which helps sponsor the High Point Market furniture trade show twice a year in North Carolina.

Hoke says the most exciting green she is seeing is a new emerald tone that coordinates with a euro palette of strong colors.

"It's very different, and refreshing," she says. "I just love it when a color comes out of left field. It can be inspiring."

We all know about being green with envy, but the color can reflect a wide range of moods and emotions, depending on its intensity. Here are some of them:

Green can be lively. If you are looking for an accent color in a white kitchen, for example, the typical choice may be taupe or blue. But introducing apple green is a bright, contemporary and refreshing alternative.

Green can be natural. "For those who want to move away from beige and other traditionally 'safe' colors, green is a wonderful color family to explore," Magno says. "Its freshness can uplift a room and greens tie in with our natural surroundings, making it a color that will please homeowners for years to come."

Green can be precious. Is there a cuter combination than light green and pink for a nursery or a little girl's room?

Green can be soothing. That's why spas almost universally choose a pale sea foam green (some think of it as a very light turquoise) as a background color. It works well in a residential bathroom, too.

Green can be seasonal. If you rotate linens and accessories at this time of year as the weather changes, green offers a fresh touch. "Pulling green tones into the home creates a simple transition from indoor to outdoor," explains Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends for MasterBrand Cabinets.

While today's infusion of green reflects a range of moods, one thing it ISN'T is a redux of the earthy sage green that dominated interiors a decade or so ago.

Suddenly Leaning GREEN

Homeowners already seem to be buying into the green scene. A quarterly survey conducted by Sherwin-Williams this spring among 2,000 homeowners found that:

■More than 60% of homeowners would consider adding shades of green into their home.

■More than half of them (56%) said they would paint an entire room green.

■56% said they would choose green for accessories such as rugs, draperies or pillows.

■46% would choose green for an accent wall or front door.

■24% see green as a good color choice for furniture.

■Considering green's calming effect, 35% of those surveyed said they would incorporate green into their bedroom, 23% into their bathroom and 23% into their living room.

Tips for introducing green

Thinking about introducing green into your décor? Here are some suggestions.

■If you have opted for today's gray-based neutrals, green can fit right in.

"In a palette with grays the option exists for green to be an accent or to dominate," says Andrea Magno, color and design expert for Benjamin Moore Paints. She suggests Benjamin Moore grayed greens such as Silken Pine, Gray Horse or Titanium.

■Start small. Find a throw pillow in a print that coordinates with an accent color in your living room or family room that also has a touch of green, suggests interior designer Betsy Hoke.

"Then use that same green in other pillows, in small accessories or even in an accent table or occasional chair," she says.

■Remember that blues and greens play well together, so it is usually easy to introduce green into a blue room. Kelly green with navy is a classic combination, for example. A watery blue paired with yellow green (try Sherwin-Williams Parakeet) offers a beachy vibe. A muted blue-green, such as Sherwin- Williams' Parisian Patina, can be a sophisticated choice with navy or royal blue.

Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams describes Parisian Patina as "a beautiful green with a slightly blue undertone, inspired by the beautiful verdigris color of the Art Nouveau metalwork that frames the entrance of the Paris Metro."

■Some greens have their own reputation. Yellow-green (the designer Barbara Barry liked to call it "pond-scum") tends to be contemporary, hunter or evergreen hues tend to be traditional and masculine and pale celadon tends to be architectural and sophisticated, especially paired with black.

■Floral prints are coming back into style after years of geometric and tile patterns dominating. By introducing a floral print with green touches into a room, you will be updating your look on two levels.

Do you, or does someone you know, have a cool, funky or exquisite living space that you’d like to see featured in At Home With? Contact Fresh home and garden editor Nancy Stohs at (414) 224-2382 or email nstohs@journalsentinel.com.